The international port operator YILPORT Holding, part of the CoreX Ports & Terminals division of CoreX Holding, has put into operation 19 new container handling machines manufactured by Konecranes at terminals across three continents. The new fleet includes five reach stackers, five empty container handlers, and nine forklifts, which were ordered in different batches throughout 2025 and are now operational at four terminals of the group located in Ghana, El Salvador, and Portugal.
The new machines replace older equipment that was operating at these facilities, with the aim of ensuring safer, more reliable, and efficient container handling operations in demanding port environments. YILPORT currently operates 22 maritime terminals and five inland terminals in 12 countries, a network that requires a fleet of handling equipment to be continuously updated to maintain productivity levels and meet service deadlines committed to its customers.
Erhan Çiloğlu, Deputy CEO and Commercial Director of YILPORT Holding, has indicated that the incorporation of this equipment strengthens the group's fleet in several regions and contributes to higher productivity, operational resilience, and service reliability. Çiloğlu added that, in the context of the group's global terminal network expansion, investment in modern equipment is a determining factor in providing efficient and competitive port services on a global scale.
From Konecranes, John Elisson, Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa in the forklift division, has valued the trust placed by YILPORT in the Finnish manufacturer and highlighted the role played by Portunus, Konecranes' distributor partner in Turkey, in the execution of the project, as well as the capacity of the manufacturer's global after-sales service network to support operations in multiple geographies.
The 19 incorporated machines cover a wide range of handling capacities and requirements tailored to the specific needs of each of the four destination terminals. The reach stackers, capable of stacking and moving containers in the terminal storage areas, represent one of the most versatile equipment categories in port operations, as they allow operation without the need for gantry cranes in certain terminal configurations. Empty container handlers are designed for the efficient handling of empty units, an operation that, despite involving lower weights than handling full containers, also requires specialized equipment to ensure smooth movements in the yard. Forklifts complete the provision with logistics support functions within the terminals.
As a differentiating technological element, the 19 machines are equipped with Konecranes' TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring system, a remote monitoring platform that collects usage data from each machine and transmits it via secure mobile connection to Konecranes' customer portal. Through this tool, YILPORT can monitor in real time the performance of each individual machine, of a group of machines, or of its entire fleet of forklifts anywhere in the world. The updated information on equipment operation allows the port operator to analyze usage patterns and optimize its operations, contributing to maximize machine uptime and to more efficiently plan preventive maintenance tasks.
The digitalization of fleet management for port equipment has become a growing trend in the container terminal sector, where operators seek to extract the maximum performance from their machinery investments through the analysis of real-time operational data. Systems like TRUCONNECT allow early detection of deviations in equipment performance, anticipate breakdowns, and reduce unplanned downtime, factors that have a direct impact on productivity and operational costs at the terminals.
YILPORT Holding has experienced significant growth over the past decades, evolving from a Turkish-based port operator to a network of terminals present in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. The group, founded by Turkish entrepreneur Robert Yüksel Yıldırım, has articulated its expansion through obtaining port concessions in various countries and investing in the modernization of acquired facilities. Its terminals in Portugal — where it operates, among others, the Leixões terminal — in Ghana, and in El Salvador are part of this geographically diversified network that serves both container traffic and general cargo and bulk.
Konecranes, for its part, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of lifting and material handling equipment, with a particularly relevant presence in the terminal and logistics equipment segment. The Finnish manufacturer has made digitalization and sustainability two of the axes of its business strategy, developing solutions that combine operational efficiency with reducing the carbon footprint of cargo handling operations.